SKY OF PAPER: AN ASIAN STEAMPUNK FANTASY

CHAPTER 63

A long silence followed. Masa was probably waiting for them to say something, but he must have found their reply in their expressions, because he started to turn away and leave them be.

"When?" Han asked, giving Masa pause.

"A few days ago."

"So what's become of our home?"

"All of Rune was wiped out. There were no survivors. Not a single building stands."

There was a whisper in my ear, one which gave me a start.

"He likes to lie doesn't he?"

Looking up, I found Kassashimei hanging over my back.

"Where did you come from?" I whispered harshly.

"He's lying you know. I'm good at sensing these things," she said ignoring my question. "I bet his father, Minister Lu put him up to this. He's probably just trying to give them an excuse to fight in this war. Terr, you know the truth. You know what really happened to your village. You should probably tell them."

Her fist prodded the small of my back as she shoved me out of my hiding place. I stumbled out into the middle of the walkway gasping in surprise. Alarmed, the soldiers turned in my direction watching me as if I were some sort of wolf that had wandered onto the grounds.

"Don't listen to him," I said regaining my composure.

Han and Kidou were surprised, perhaps more shocked at the sight of my dirty, tattered appearance than anything else. I took a step forward, but the soldiers commanded me to halt.

"Terr, is that you?" Han asked.

"I know what happened to our village," I continued, "and it wasn't bombed."

"Terr?" Kidou squinted trying to make out my face, which was hidden amidst my dirt-smeared cheeks and wiry, unkempt hair. "It is you isn't it?"

"Yes, it's me and I need to tell you the truth."

Masa forced himself between us. "They don't need to hear anything from a disgusting peasant like you. You're not even one of us anymore. Now leave or else I'll tell the servant overseers of your disrespect and have you caned."

"Masa, why are you like this?" I approached him with such emotion, that I felt my cheeks grow numb. The soldiers took my shoulders, preventing me from going any further. "Your sister, Ai, is here in the palace. Shouldn't you be taking care of her, instead of wasting your time spouting lies to my friends."

"You shut up about my sister," he replied. "This is war, and I'm fighting to keep her safe, just as these two should be fighting to keep our country safe. And what is it you're doing? Scrubbing toilets and cleaning grime from the palace stoves? You don't even have the right to breath the same air as us, let alone speak to us."

"Listen to yourself. You never even wanted to be a chienkuu ko, and now you're acting all high and mighty, as if that's the only thing you've ever wanted."

"It's better than being a coward."

"You're wrong. You are a coward." I regretted my words. I was not thinking clearly. My face felt hot with anger and I searched for anything that I could possibly say that would rob him of his pride. "Why don't you go back to your room and cry and whine about your sister like you used to back at the Imperial Temple."

He punched me hard in the face, leaving me breathless. I coughed, then looked back him with a piercing glare, daring him to hit me again. And he did.